


Tangible

by Surreal



Category: Tin Man (2007)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Imported, M/M, Originally Posted on LiveJournal, Redemption, Romance, Semi-graphic depiction of injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-14
Updated: 2013-09-14
Packaged: 2017-12-26 12:30:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/965940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Surreal/pseuds/Surreal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new mission leads our heroes on a journey of change and discovery.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tangible

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to Livejournal in 2008 in response to a 30-word challenge table.

**1\. Smile**

The table in the Queen’s meeting hall was covered in wrinkled maps and dusty notebooks. Wyatt Cain watched from one long side of the table, sharp eyes making out the details on the old strewn paper records as DG pointed to various locations on the largest of the O.Z. maps. Her parents listened intently from her other side as the young princess spoke of her meticulous travel plans. Curled up quietly in a chair at the opposite end of the table was Glitch, who was deeply involved in one of the journals. Raw, standing behind him, was the only one who knew that the journal in Glitch’s hands was upside down, and the former adviser was not reading it at all. The perceptive viewer said nothing, as he understood that it was Glitch’s way of hiding his concern as he listened to the others.

“I’ve got it all planned out,” DG was saying, leaning over the touch the place on the map labeled Central City, their current location. “The five of us – Glitch, Raw, Mr. Cain, Kalm and I – we’ll head west toward Milltown first,” she said, running her finger over the map. 

“Why go through the town, we could just stay on a northwest route and cut a few hours travel,” Cain cut in, his own hand tracing the map along with his words.

DG smacked his arm lightly. “Don’t interrupt,” she snapped playfully. “I said we would go towards the town, not through it. I’ll get back to that later. As I was saying, we head west, cut south of the town and head for the Fields of Papay. Raw, you said your people were just southwest of the fields, right?”

“Yes,” Raw answered, a light shudder going through him as he thought of the Papay.

“Right,” DG nodded brusquely. “When we find them, we’ll introduce ourselves as representatives of the monarchy. Cain will speak for the law enforcement, Glitch for the advisers’ council, and I’ll do my best to look like a pretty, pretty princess,” she instructed with a derisive snort, to the mild displeasure of her mother. “Raw, you can introduce Kalm into the main clan.” She hesitated for a moment, standing up straight to look at Raw. “You’re certain this is the best thing for him? He’s never known a life outside of the tower, and the last six months here with us. He won’t feel abandoned, will he?” She bit at one of her nails anxiously.

“Kalm feel loved here,” Raw assured her warmly. “But Kalm need to learn from his own people.”

“Of course,” the Queen answered for her daughter. “We all want what is best for the child. Please, make certain he knows he is always welcome here, Emissary Raw.”

Raw straightened at hearing his new title, the smile on his face proud. He had accepted a position on the Queen’s council as a representative, relaying news and administrative issues between his former clan and the newly restored Crown.

“All right then,” DG turned back to her map to continue. “We’ll have about a day and a half of travel to the Fields. I figure horses will be fastest. On the way back, the four of us can stop in Milltown,” she paused to poke Cain in the arm. “I want to go visit my parents – um, robo-parents. The whole trip will take about four days, I figure.”

Cain nodded slowly. “It sounds like a good plan,” he agreed then looked up at the Queen and Ahamo. “She’ll be safe with us, I promise you that.”

“I know she will, Mr. Cain,” the Queen answered. “You will not be traveling far, and we all know my angel has been restless in recent weeks,” she smiled indulgently at her youngest daughter.

“Well, then.” The group all startled as the previously silent inventor spoke for the first time. Glitch stood up suddenly, tossing the unread book onto the table. “Shall we start packing?”

 

**2\. Support**

Early the next morning, Cain knocked on Glitch’s slightly ajar door with his pack slung over one shoulder. “You about ready?” he asked as he pushed into the room.

“In a moment,” Glitch called from the washroom. He entered the main room a few seconds later, tossing a few items into his open bag on the bed. Scrubbing a hand over his messy hair, he glanced up at the other man and gave a tight nod. “That should do it.”

Looking down briefly to hide his smile, Cain stepped forward to clap a big hand on Glitch’s shoulder. “Your things are ready. Are you ready?” he asked seriously.

Glitch sighed, staring down at his bed. He fidgeted with the strap of his pack. “I’m...I’m sure the trip will be just fine,” he managed then gave a nervous laugh. “Of course, everyone in the O.Z. knows who we are by now, I shouldn’t have to worry about...well, I’m sure it will be just fine.”

“You said that,” Cain mentioned offhandedly. He eyed his friend and made a guess. “You’re worried about representing the advisors’ council, aren’t you?”

Waving one hand, Glitch picked up his bag with the other. “The Queen gave me her full support, as you know,” he sniffed without meeting Cain’s gaze, brushing past as he aimed for the door. 

Cain stopped him with a hand wrapped around his arm. “That’s not what worries you. It’s representing the monarchy with that,” he pointed to the zipper on Glitch’s head.

Glitch pulled away, flustered. “That...thing is not who I am, Cain. I can’t be who I was anymore, but I have had a lot of years to get used to who I’ve become.”

“And you know not everyone sees you, at least not at first. They see what was taken from you and they wonder what to expect.”

“Isn’t that what you saw, Tin Man?” Glitch finally met his eye, defiant yet insecure.

“Yes, it was,” Cain admitted. “And I’ll be there to make sure everyone sees you for who you really are. The adviser to the Queen herself. And our friend.”

Glitch swallowed hard, unable to believe such unwavering support. “Promise?” he asked quietly.

Cain placed a warm hand against the side of Glitch’s neck, thumb resting just below his ear. “I promise, Glitch.”

 

**3\. Touch**

Securing his bag to the back of his horse’s saddle, Cain made a final round to check on the rest of the travelers. Raw was riding without a saddle with Kalm seated in front of him. They had packed nothing to take with them; Raw intended to use the short trip to begin teaching the young viewer how to live off the land. 

DG was wiggling on her own mount, settling into the shiny new saddle. “All set, Cain,” she assured him with an indulgent smile, understanding his need to check on them all for himself.

He wandered over to Glitch last. Looking up, he was met by an infectious grin that he couldn’t help but return. “Ready?” he asked.

Glitch nodded mutely, more confident than he had been mere hours before.

Cain reached up to pat his hand lightly on Glitch’s thigh. He was only mildly surprised when a hand came to rest over his own, holding it there for a moment before pulling away. Those ephemeral touches were all the assurance they needed. It was time to go.

 

**4\. Light**

The second sun had begun to set by the time the group stopped for the night, just south of Milltown. Cain dropped off his horse with a solid thump and reached up to unhook his bag. From the corner of his eye he just caught a bright hint of fading light bouncing off of metal as Glitch gracefully made his way to the ground.

“I’ll take care of the horses, if you two wouldn’t mind getting camp set up,” Cain said to Glitch and DG. He saw Raw nod gratefully at him as the viewer took Kalm into the woods for a lesson in catching dinner.

Cain gave a mild shudder and was thankful the rest of them had packed their own food. He fell into the familiar rhythm of settling their four horses for the night. When he finished tying the lead ropes he made his way over to the warmth of the fire. DG offered him a plate that held pieces of bread, dried meat and slices of apple and he took it with a pleased nod. 

Glitch was sitting on the other side of the fire with a similar plate next to him. He had a piece of bread stuck to the end of a stick, holding it over the fire. “I like my bread crunchy,” he explained to Cain, who sat down next to him with an amused expression. 

By the time everyone, including the two viewers, had eaten their dinner it was well past dark. Cain saw Kalm leaning sleepily against his guardian, while DG was hiding a yawn behind her arm. Glitch was staring into the fire, unblinking. 

Cain leaned over and bumped the still man’s arm with his shoulder, startling him out of his daze. “’Bout time to call it a night?”

Looking around the camp as if seeing it for the first time, Glitch shook himself minutely and his face cleared with recognition. “Sure, I’m just going to grab my blanket,” he replied with a smile. He flung himself over to reach his pack, not bothering to stand. Pulling out a balled-up wool blanket, he wrapped it around his body the best he could and curled up on the ground.

Smirking at the simplicity of the actions, Cain crawled past to snag Glitch’s bag. He carded his empty hand carefully through the other man’s hair, getting his attention. “Use your pack as a pillow,” he reminded Glitch, who gave him a sheepish grin. 

Glitch lifted his head obediently and let Cain slide it under his head. “Thanks,” he muttered, half asleep already.

Ignoring the amused and indulgent expressions of his friends, Cain unpacked his own blanket and settled himself flat on his back behind Glitch. 

 

**5\. Seasons**

Glitch dreamed of winter, his most hated of all the seasons.

_Wandering aimlessly through orchards of white branches, he had forgotten to be afraid. His whole body hurt, ached with the cold and constant dampness of the long months. The worst of it was always his head; the tight pinch of the zipper giving him an unending headache when the cold metal contracted in the freezing temperatures._

_He sat on a bare log, holding his head in his hands and breathing through the pain. He could hear the distant shrieking of the beasts that lived in this field of dead trees, but couldn’t bring himself to care. Alone, always alone, he was a constant target whenever he found himself in this place again._

_The terrifying sounds grew closer and he knew he had to move, soon. But when he tried to stand, he doubled over at the sharp pain in his head. He fell to his knees and gave a slim hope to being ignored by the monsters, just before he sank into darkness._

 

**6\. Confusion**

Glitch awoke and sat up with a start, his hand automatically flying up to check that his zipper was closed out of long engrained habit. He was indeed in the woods, not the same ones from his dream however, and he was no longer alone. Others slept nearby, and he wondered idly if he knew them.

The one sleeping closest was a beautiful man and Glitch hoped wistfully that he at least knew this one. His eyes strayed over the form in appreciation before landing on the gun strapped above a muscular thigh. 

Eyes wide, he wondered if he had been arrested. 

In his distraction he almost missed the man’s sudden wakefulness, if not for the clear brightness of his pale eyes shining in the daylight. Glitch grinned happily at their beauty and asked his companion,

“Hello! Have we met?”

 

**7\. Sweetheart**

Cain stifled a groan at the question he should have expected. “We sure have, Sweetheart,” he answered, sitting up slowly with a lazy stretch.

“Oh! Cain! Did you sleep well?” Glitch came back into himself with his usual smooth transition. 

“Well enough,” Cain responded, almost wishing they could go back to that moment a few seconds ago when Glitch was looking at him with affection. Not that he didn’t want the other man to remember him; rather, he simply wanted to be looked at with love more than their usual friendship. 

Glitch had grown on him a lot since they were stranded together on the ice mountain, but Cain had yet to figure out a way to approach him as anything more than a loyal friend. He saw this short trip as an opportunity to spent time with Glitch, away from the daily stresses of the castle and its royal demands. 

He could only hope that his constant touches and attention got through Glitch’s surprisingly thick skull. Then again, taking a wrench to the back of his head had barely fazed him. Cain suspected he would have his work cut out for him.

 

**8\. Kiss**

Soon enough the rest of their little group was up and moving around the camp. They shared a small breakfast and packed away their blankets. Once everything was put away they mounted their horses and headed out on their way. Even traveling at a leisurely pace, Cain knew they should reach the southern edges of the Papay fields and Raw’s people by early afternoon.

Late morning found Raw and Kalm riding in the front, talking quietly while DG followed closely behind them. 

Cain lingered a little further back, secretly pleased when Glitch slowed his own horse to match his pace. “You ready to play diplomat?” Cain asked.

“I think so,” Glitch answered after a thoughtful moment. “I’ll have you there to kick me if I start to sound like an idiot, right?”

“I’ll try to be more discreet than that,” Cain assured him with a half-smile. 

Glitch steered his horse close enough to reach across and take Cain’s hand in his own. He ducked his head down and held the hand for a long moment without saying anything, then slowly brought it to his lips and kissed the back of it. 

Cain watched in fascination and somehow managed to pull his eyes up to meet the shining ones across from him. He opened his mouth but couldn’t find any words. 

Grinning impishly, Glitch spoke instead. “Maybe I don’t want you to be so discreet, Boy Scout,” he said with a wink. He let go of the hand he had been holding with a teasing brush of his fingertips to the inside of Cain’s wrist. 

As Glitch gave his horse a light kick to move up ahead, Cain realized the other man might not be the only one with a thick skull.

 

**9\. Yearn**

Cain let himself lag behind the rest of the group, thinking over what had just happened. He could still feel the fingers touching his palm, the soft lips barely grazing the back of his hand. 

Glitch had kissed him. 

All right, he’d kissed his _hand_ , but it was still a much more direct display of affection than their usual friendly pats and incidental touches. That one little kiss sent his mind reeling with possibilities. 

He knew, after all these months of traveling, then living and working so closely together, that he had fallen in love with his friend. Whenever he looked across the meeting table and was met by a mischievous smile, his heart would beat just a little faster than before. Every time Glitch reached over and stole his dinner bread, he put up a token fight but inside he was secretly delighted. He started putting an extra piece on his plate just for Glitch to “steal.”

After all this time he finally understood what was going on. Glitch was _flirting_ with him and had been for months. Cain recognized now that feeling he got whenever Glitch did those little things, those secretive smiles and the not-so-subtle food theft. That yearning he felt every time they had to go their own ways, for work or to retire for the evening. 

How many times had he fought against the urge to follow Glitch to his room? To wander down to his lab and ask him useless and annoying questions about all the odds and ends that seemed to be strewn on every surface? 

How many times had Glitch come to _his_ office for a seemingly pointless reason?

The adviser had made the first move and the cop knew it was time to acknowledge that. They would be staying the night with Raw’s people and heading back toward Milltown in the morning. Tonight, he firmly decided, he would have a talk with Glitch.

Cain looked up from his distracted musings and glanced at the group ahead of him. He realized with a dawning horror that there were only two horses in front of him, not three.

Glitch was gone.

 

**10\. Lost**

Cain gave his horse a tight kick to catch up to the others. “Hey Raw, DG – hold up, we lost Glitch,” he called out as he pulled up between them. “Raw, can you get any kind of feeling about which way he went?”

The viewer closed his eyes and tilted his head with a frown. “Glitch turn left into woods. Off the trail.”

“All right, you three stay here in case he comes back up this way. I’m going to head back and look off the path,” Cain directed. He didn’t wait for an answer; instead he turned his horse and took off in a run. This close to the Papay fields, he was terrified of what could happen to Glitch.

After twenty minutes of frantic searching and calling for the missing advisor, Cain spotted movement off to his right. He steered in that direction with caution until he saw the errant rider leading his horse clearly through the trees. “Glitch!” he yelled in relief. 

Glitch turned and grinned happily, lead rope in his hands. “Hi! Do I know you?”

Cain jumped off his own mount and rushed forward to fold the other man into his arms, holding him tight. “Oh, Sweetheart, you scared the life out of me,” he sighed heavily, heart racing.

“Oh! Cain! I’m so sorry,” Glitch replied miserably. He wrapped his own arms around the other man and squeezed back. “I must have forgotten where I was and wandered off. It’s always worse when I’m stressed.”

Pulling back just enough to look at the man in his arms, Cain swallowed hard. “Well, then, I guess we’ll just have to make sure you’re not so stressed, huh?” He gave a tight smile. Leaning forward, he pressed a firm kiss to Glitch’s forehead.

Glitch closed his eyes and smiled, giving a happy hum. “What was that for?”

“I owed you one,” Cain replied with an answering grin. “Come on, the others are waiting.”

“Oh, no. I bet DG will be mad at me for wandering off,” Glitch groaned as he climbed back onto his horse. 

Cain gave him an encouraging pat on the leg. “She’ll just be glad you’re all right.” He made his way over and got back up onto his own horse. “If we make good time we should get to the village in another hour or so.”

When they made their way back to where DG, Raw and Kalm were waiting they were met by relieved grins. DG leaned over and gave Glitch an awkward hug from where she was seated on her horse. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” she kissed his cheek before pulling away. “Don’t scare us like that again, got it?”

Glitch blushed and gave her a self-conscious shrug. “Don’t mean to. It just happens sometimes.”

Raw led his horse over so that he and Kalm could both reach across and touch Glitch’s arm gently. “Stay close,” he ordered the inventor earnestly.

Giving a sharp nod, Glitch looked over at Cain significantly. “I will.”

 

**11\. Alcohol**

A bit over an hour later the five travelers reached the edge of the village. They rode together in a line as a show of equality and solidarity. 

Cain hadn’t known exactly what to expect but was pleasantly surprised to find the viewers living in sturdily made natural structures that were well-hidden within the thick woods just south of the Papay fields. He could tell the buildings had a variety of purposes, with small family homes and larger public halls easily identifiable. 

Their arrival was met by a small group of viewers with an obvious leader in the front. Raw was the first to climb to the ground, reaching up to help Kalm down off the tall horse. The others followed his example and made the rest of the short walk on foot to meet their welcoming party.

“Rael,” purred Raw, addressing the elder leader who stepped forward to greet him. The two powerful viewers clasped hands for a long, silent moment that was filled with a private language. 

Finally, Raw turned back and held out a hand toward Glitch as their chosen representative. The viewer had coached him briefly during the last leg of their journey to keep his introductions short and simple.

Glitch stepped forward with a nervous smile and bowed in respect. He felt Cain’s solid presence at his back and spoke with confidence. “An honor, sir,” he began, raising his head. “I’m Glitch, adviser to the Queen. Wyatt Cain,” he waved a hand back, “the royal guardian. Princess DG,” he nodded toward the young woman, who gave a short bow. “We have come with Raw to return Kalm to his rightful people, so that he may have a happy and peaceful life.”

Listening intently, Rael gave a few nods in return at the introductions. When Glitch fell silent, the elder viewer stepped forward with his hand extended and hovering just within reach of the adviser’s shoulder. He gave a questioning look to Glitch, as if waiting for something.

Glitch turned to look at Cain, wondering if he had missed something important. Cain leaned forward and whispered in his ear, “Let him touch you. Remember, they see with their hearts.”

“Oh, of course,” Glitch winced at having forgotten something so basic. He looked back at the leader and granted permission with a quick nod. “Please.”

The big, warm paw came to rest on Glitch’s shoulder. Rael closed his eyes and tilted his head to the side as if listening very closely. After several silent, tense moments he opened his eyes and looked directly at Glitch. “Great man. Broken. Now fixed, complete.”

Glitch frowned, reaching a hand up to scratch at the back of his zipper. “But, I’m not fixed. I’m not fixed. I’m not – “ 

Cain laid a hand on Glitch’s arm and squeezed hard, upsetting the loop the man was stuck in. Glitch cleared his throat and said quietly, “I’m only half of what I once was.”

The leader gestured widely toward Glitch’s companions. “They help make you whole.”

Glitch had no words to argue with such a certain sounding declaration.

Rael nodded his approval and stepped back to address the whole group. “All most welcome. Come, drink ale. Celebrate child’s return.”

**

The large meeting hall was filled with delighted viewers and warm conversation. Kalm was shyly following Raw around to be introduced to the people who would become his new family. DG was sitting on the floor with several women and older children, a cup of the famous home brew in her hands.

Cain watched from the side, keeping an eye on his friends while slowly sipping at his own mild cup of beer. He wandered over and crouched next to DG, tapping the cup in her hand pointedly. “You old enough to be drinking this stuff?”

DG snorted and took a healthy swig. “This is rain water compared to the stuff I used to drink back on the other side,” she grinned. Her eyes went wide suddenly and she brought a hand up to her mouth. “Oh, but please please don’t tell my parents, any of them, but especially my robot parents. I would hate for them to think they weren’t good guardians.”

Standing up with an unconvincing scowl, he patted the top of her head. “Be smart, kiddo.” He got a nod in return and moved along.

He was on his way back to his post when he nearly tripped over someone sprawled on the floor. Looking down, he realized it was the last of his friends. Glitch was laying flat on his back, knees bent up and feet flat on the floor. In one loose-fingered hand he held a half empty cup of brew and he was giggling madly at something Cain couldn’t see.

Cain eyed him suspiciously and put his cup down on a nearby table. “Glitch, when was the last time you had alcohol?”

Glitch frowned as he considered his answer. “If I can’t remember the last time I drank when I’m not drunk, what makes you think I can remember it when I _have_ been drunk...ing?” Glitch uncrossed his eyes and looked pointedly at the man standing above him.

“Right. Up you go, Sweetheart.” Cain hooked his hands under Glitch’s arms and hoisted him to his feet. Holding up the unsteady man, he turned back and called to DG. “Princess, you know where your room is, right?”

“Yes, thank you, Mr. Cain,” she assured him while noting the way Cain was holding up their adviser. “Take care of him.”

Cain knew she didn’t expect an answer. That was just what they did.

 

**12\. Chocolate**

They had all been given small sectioned off rooms found at one end of the large building, so Cain steered his charge in that direction. He knew he wouldn’t be seeing his own room that night, but didn’t care in the least.

He set Glitch down on the edge of the low bed then took a quick trip around the corner to retrieve his own bag as well as the bedding laid out for him. When he returned, he saw Glitch had laid down with his eyes closed, one hand curled beneath his head, feet still on the floor and humming softly to himself.

“You know, I didn’t even drink one whole cup of that stuff,” Glitch said with a careless wave of his hand, though he sounded more sober than before.

“Always figured you for a lightweight,” Cain smiled while tossing the extra pillow and blankets onto the bed. “Here, scoot over,” he nudged Glitch’s legs. Glitch managed a complicated wiggle across the bed and flopped over onto his front. With more than a little help from Cain, he got his boots and jacket off.

Cain took his own boots and coat off efficiently. He folded the clothes carefully and set them next to his bag along with their boots, then placed his hat on the bag itself. Glitch had already claimed one pillow, so Cain tugged the loose blankets up and over the sprawled man. He hesitated for a moment then crawled under the covers as well.

Lying on his side with one hand propped up on a fist he took the opportunity to study his bedmate. Glitch had his arms up under his head, squishing the pillow awkwardly. He was breathing slowly but Cain could tell he was not sleeping yet. 

“Hey,” Cain nudged the other man’s leg with his foot gently. “No fair falling asleep on me before I have a chance to tell you about my great epiphany.”

Glitch opened his eyes and raised his head just a bit. “Oh? Does it involve melting chocolate into hot coffee? Because that would be great.”

Cain chuckled. “Sorry, that one will have to wait until we get home.” He reached up and stroked a hand over the wild clumps of hair sticking out in all directions. “No, this one is all about you and how much you mean to me.” He was rewarded with a pleased purr.

“Ditto,” Glitch replied smugly. He reached up to lace his fingers between Cain’s and placed their joined hands on the bed between them. He sighed happily and rested his head back down onto the bunched up pillow. 

“You should flip over. Sleeping like that isn’t good for your neck or back,” Cain told him softly.

“Can’t,” Glitch murmured sleepily. “The zipper pull digs into the back of my head.”

Cain felt his heart twist at the matter-of-fact statement. It was all too easy to forget the cruelty Glitch had survived at the hands of a girl the inventor had helped raise. Cain held Glitch’s hand while the adviser fell asleep, though the Tin Man stayed awake long into the night. 

 

**13\. Never mind**

DG burst into the room early the next morning, already talking before she made it through the open doorway. “Glitch, did you pick up my hairbrush again –“ 

Cain raised his head and blinked at her with tired, bemused eyes. 

“Oh, my,” she stopped in mid-step, blushing furiously. “Never mind.”

“Get your mind out of the mud, Princess,” Cain grumbled as he slid out from under the warmth of the blankets. 

Slightly mollified that the officer was still in his clothes from the night before, DG gave him an embarrassed grin. “Didn’t think you’d be quite so literal when I told you to take care of him.”

Checking to make sure Glitch was still sleeping peacefully, Cain crossed the small room to where DG had halted. “As soon as we figure it out for ourselves, you and I can have this discussion. Was there something you were looking for?”

Blinking owlishly, she looked over at the comatose adviser. “What do you mean? You guys weren’t already...you know,” she frowned in confusion.

“No, we haven’t really had a chance to talk about whatever this is,” Cain admitted reluctantly, crossing his arms. “Like I said, we need more time.”

Nodding slowly, DG gave him a one-armed hug. “Let me know if either of you need _anything_ ,” she told him seriously before letting go. “Now, I came to see if Glitch had picked up my hairbrush. It must have fallen out of my bag at the camp site and he does have a tendency to collect shiny things.”

Smiling in relief at the change of topic, Cain knelt down to rummage through Glitch’s bag on the floor. He held up the misplaced item triumphantly. “This must be yours. Gods know _he_ doesn’t seem to own one.”

Laughing quietly, DG took the proffered brush. “Thanks.”

“Are you and Raw getting ready to head out?” he asked her as he stood up again.

“We’ve got time,” she assured him while smiling gently at Glitch’s soft snuffling sounds. “Let him sleep a while longer, there’s no hurry.” Gracing Cain with a decidedly unladylike grin, she walked out of the room with her hairbrush in hand.

Cain watched her leave with a thoughtful expression. He thought back to the previous day when the village leader told Glitch that his friends made him whole. Seeing for himself how they all worked together to ensure that Glitch felt loved and cared for made him understand what kind of commitment he was looking forward to being a part of. 

He sat down on the edge of the bed they had shared, careful not to disturb Glitch’s rest. After a few moments of silent contemplation, Cain watched his friend shift and yawn. Glitch squinted up at him curiously. 

“Morning,” Cain greeted him with a soft smile, reaching up to brush back that long, loose curl that tended to fall over Glitch’s left eye. 

“Is it?” Glitch groaned while stretching expansively. 

“Still early yet, we’ve got time to eat and say our goodbyes,” Cain answered while his eyes wandered over Glitch’s mesmerizing form. He blinked with a sudden realization. “Hey, you didn’t ask who I was.”

“Well, of course I didn’t, Wyatt, why would I – oh! Hey, I _did_ remember you!” Glitch exclaimed excitedly, bouncing to sit up. “How about that? You must be good for what’s left of the old brain,” he said as he stretched his arms up over his head. “Come on, let’s go see what’s for breakfast. These guys cook _way_ better than Raw.”

 

**14\. Laugh**

Cain busied himself with getting their horses ready for the trip back. He made sure to secure everyone’s bags tightly to the backs of their saddles, leaving Raw’s horse the only one without a load. 

While the others stayed behind at the edge of the village, hugging new friends and saying goodbye to Kalm, Cain led the animals two at a time to the nearby stream to let them drink. 

He knew he was stalling, delaying the inevitable. Kalm deserved a proper farewell and Cain couldn’t trust himself not to become an emotional idiot around the boy. The young viewer was a delight to be around, a unique and strong individual who had survived a childhood of abuse. Wyatt couldn’t help it; he was always reminded of having missed out on raising his own son whenever he looked at Kalm. 

Sucking in a deep, steadying breath, Cain led the second pair of horses back to where the others were waiting. A smile broke through his mood when he heard the bright sound of Kalm’s innocent laugh drifting in the morning air. He knew they had made the right choice in bringing him here.

Handing the lead ropes to Glitch as he joined the small group, Cain stepped forward. He offered a hand to Kalm, a seemingly impersonal gesture for anyone but a viewer. Kalm ignored the hand in favor of launching forward to wrap his arms tightly around Cain’s middle.

Surprised, Cain chuckled and patted the young man on the back tentatively. Kalm stepped back with a grin and said, “DG say Cain need more hugs.”

Cain shot a mock glare at the grinning young woman then crouched down in front of Kalm. “You take care of yourself, kid,” he said sincerely, then stood. He earned a nod of approval from Glitch before the adviser clambered quickly onto his horse. The rest of the group followed his example and with a few last waves, they headed back down the trail.

**

They had made it halfway to Milltown before they saw the first sign of trouble. The town itself was less than an hour from the easternmost edge of the Fields of Papay. As they passed the southeast corner of the orchard, Raw was the first to hear the ominous shrieking. 

“Papay,” he rumbled, causing the others to listen intently for the telltale sounds. 

“Let’s speed it up,” Cain ordered in a tight voice. 

Glitch looked back nervously and kept pace with the Tin Man. “Think they’ll come this far from the trees?”

“If they’re hungry they will,” Cain replied gravely. Up ahead, DG and Raw led at a faster tempo. 

Just as he was settling into a solid run Cain saw lightning fast movement out of the corner of his eye and suddenly his horse jerked to a halt, throwing him over the animal’s shoulder onto the ground. He landed hard on his back, the wind knocked out of him.

There was a blur of motion all around him as he struggled to get his breath back. He heard someone call his name, frantic and terrified. He pushed himself up on an elbow and was horrified to see his horse kicking at the Papay that had its jaws locked into one of the horse’s hind legs. A second Papay quickly joined it in taking down the large animal.

Pulling his gun and drawing a weak lungful of air, he fired off a shot at the nightmarish monsters. The shot barely fazed them but succeeded in momentarily distracting them from their attack. Cain fought his way back to his feet and spotted Glitch heading back towards him, still on his own horse. 

Cain whirled around, seeing DG and Raw not far ahead. “Go!” he yelled, motioning anxiously with his arms. “Raw, get her to the town, we’ll be right behind you.” He saw the viewer nod in understanding, then reach out to pull at DG’s arm, forcing her to leave with him. 

He heard her protest loudly, not wanting to leave the other two behind. Glitch twisted his head around and yelled back to her, “I’ve got him, Deeg. Go, _now_.”

Glitch had almost reached him when another blur seemingly appeared out of nowhere. As Cain was raising his weapon, he realized he was too late and watched in shock as the other man was knocked sideways from his horse by a third, diving Papay.

Unable to get a clean shot without the risk of hitting Glitch, Cain ran towards where the struggling pair had tumbled down. He saw Glitch land a swift, accurate kick to its chest. 

The Papay drove forward and sank its long, jagged razor teeth into Glitch’s left shoulder, ripping a terrifying scream of pain from the adviser. 

“Glitch!” Cain roared, close enough now to risk a point-blank shot to the Papay’s head. He fired once, deadly accurate and was sickly satisfied at the way it slumped, obviously dead. Glitch kicked the corpse away, straining to crawl away from its body.

“Oh, gods, Glitch,” Cain dropped to his knees in front of the fallen man, who was fighting to catch his breath. He swallowed against the bile in his throat at the sight of ragged, bloody holes torn into Glitch’s shoulder, front and back. He forced himself not to look too closely at where the teeth had torn deeply in near his collar, afraid of seeing bone. More long, weeping cuts ran down his arm and across his back where the Papay’s claws had tried to hold its prey.

He was trying to clear his head, to think of how to get Glitch out of here without hurting him more, when the nearby screeching sound signaled the approach of more Papay.

Using his body to cover the defenseless man, he fired off four more shots at the rapidly looming animals. Two of them fell, while the remaining two kept coming. Cain’s gun clicked uselessly the next time he pulled the trigger. 

He was out of bullets.

Not knowing what else to do, he curled his body tightly over Glitch’s, whispering “I’m sorry,” into his ear while waiting for the inevitable attack.

The thundering sound of an approaching horse followed by two sharp, clear gunshots made Cain jump. He held his breath, certain he was hallucinating, as a long silence followed the echoing shots.

Raising his head slowly, Cain glanced around. Nearby, he saw the last of the Papay lying dead.

Standing not ten feet away, smoking weapon still in hand, was Zero. 

Raising the barrel of the gun to point to the sky, the former Longcoat held his hands with palms forward in a blatant signal of surrender. “We need to talk.”

 

**15\. Caress**

Cain stared in astonishment. When he was finally able to find words he growled, “Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you where you stand.”

Zero blinked. “You want all the reasons? All right – you’re unarmed, you’ve got an injured man, and you need my help to get out of here.”

As if to emphasize Zero’s second point, Glitch shifted with a pained groan. “Cain?” he wheezed, trying to sit up despite his wounds. 

“Easy,” Cain told him gently, helping him up and taking most of Glitch’s weight against his own chest. “We’re going to get you to help,” he assured him, then glared up at Zero. “Why should I trust you, you son of a bitch?”

Unexpectedly, Zero stepped closer and bent down slowly, placing his gun on the ground close to Cain. “I’m not the man you knew during Azkadellia’s reign. There are a lot of men depending on me and you’re our best chance at making things right.”

Cain frowned in confusion as uncertainty and worry over his friend clouded his judgment. 

Glitch disturbed his contemplation, bumping his head back against Cain’s shoulder. “Kill him later, if you must. I’ll even hold him down for you,” he said faintly. “Right now, we need his help. He hasn’t shot us yet and for that, he’s the lesser of two evils.”

Making his decision quickly, Cain grabbed the loaded gun from the ground and stuck it in his own empty holster. “We do this my way, Zero. You help me get him to Milltown and then we sit down for a nice, long chat with Raw.”

Zero understood the implication of that statement. He nodded once, hard. “That’ll do. Do you have anything to tie his arm with?”

Cain jerked his chin toward his dead horse. “In my bag, get the blanket.”

Working together warily, they secured Glitch’s damaged arm to his body, pulling the blanket up to cover the parts still slowly oozing blood. The adviser was barely conscious by the time Cain and Zero got him to his feet. 

Cain was reluctant to let go of him, to leave him in Zero’s hands if only for a moment. He stood in front of Glitch and put his hand under Glitch’s chin to raise his head up so their eyes could meet. Eyes half-closed and clouded with pain, Glitch fought to focus. “Wyatt?”

“I need you to hold on to Zero, just for a minute, so we can help you up on the horse. Think you can do that?” Cain asked him softly. Under his fingers he could feel the slick warmth of blood that had splattered up along Glitch’s throat and jaw.

Glitch pulled in a sharp breath and nodded carefully. “Go.”

While Zero stayed on the ground holding Glitch, Cain swung himself up to sit on the adviser’s horse. He steered it close to the waiting men and reached down to help pull Glitch up onto the horse with him. It took several tries and a number of pained grunts from the injured man before they got him up and settled in front of Cain.

Retrieving Cain’s bag from the fallen horse and attaching it to the back of his own saddle for safe keeping, Zero mounted his ride and nodded to the Tin Man.

Arms wrapped securely around Glitch, Cain nodded back and together the three men set off quickly toward Milltown. He felt Glitch’s head fall wearily back to rest on his shoulder. Cain lifted one hand up to give a shaking caress to the pale cheek so close to his. “You’re going to be fine,” he whispered. He prayed that it wasn’t a lie. 

 

**16\. Blue**

Glitch leaned back against the sturdy body holding him tightly in place, feeling every bump of the ride send a new, burning spike of pain through his shoulder. He let himself drift knowing Cain was out of harm's way and that Cain was getting him to safety as well. 

With a slight roll of his neck he pressed his forehead against the cool skin of Cain’s throat. Glitch was too warm, wrapped up in the other man’s blanket and secured in his arms. The cool breeze speeding past made him shiver at the contrasting temperatures.

Cain looked down at Glitch, a worried frown creasing his brow. “You holding up okay, Sweetheart?” he asked, shifting his hold a bit. 

Tilting his head back to look up at Cain’s face. “Oh, wow,” Glitch breathed in awe. “Your eyes are so _blue_.” 

Pulling up next to them, Zero glanced over. “He still breathing?”

Cain glared at him. “I’m not talking to you.”

Zero snorted. “I can see now why you were such a great resistance leader. Your maturity knows no bounds.”

Ignoring Zero’s sarcasm, Cain turned his gaze forward again. “He’s shivering and his eyes are too dark,” he answered instead. “I think the venom is starting to affect his mind, he’s got a fever.”

“Not much further to go,” Zero reassured him, earning an odd look from Cain. “There’s a good doctor in town, plus you’ve got your viewer to help heal him. I’d say Ambrose is in good hands.”

Cain cleared his throat uncomfortably. “He doesn’t go by Ambrose. He prefers Glitch.”

Zero ducked his head. “I’ll try to remember that.”

“Why?” Cain snapped suddenly, tired of pretending.

“What?”

“Why do you care, if this isn’t just some sick game of yours? What do you want from me, from any of us?” 

A long silence stretched between them as Zero stared at the ground in front of them, considering his answer. “The same as everyone else after all of this. Same as you, and Glitch there, and the Princess. A second chance.” He twisted his head away. “There’s so much you don’t know yet, Cain. But I don’t expect you to believe me, so it’ll have to wait until we get to Milltown.”

Wyatt adjusted his hold on Glitch and said nothing.

 

**17\. Other Side**

Cain felt a surge of relief course through him as he spotted the rising smoke in the distance. It had taken them nearly half an hour to reach this point and the sound of Glitch’s progressively growing struggle to draw breath had torn at Cain’s heart. 

At the edge of the town he could see a small group waiting for their approach. He could make out Raw and DG easily, while the other two looked vaguely familiar. Just on the other side of that clearing was the help Glitch so desperately needed. 

“Zero, stay behind me and don’t say a word,” Cain said sharply. He put his lips close to Glitch’s ear and whispered, “Hold on just a little longer, we’re almost there.”

Pressing a hand to Glitch’s chest, he waited for the answering intake of breath. It didn’t come.

“No. No, no, no,” he spat anxiously, looking down at his friend. Glitch was limp against him, eyes closed with long lashes dark against the too-pale skin of his face. “He’s not breathing,” Cain bellowed in Zero’s direction. He tightened his hold on the adviser’s body and gave the horse a sharp kick, making it break into a run.

DG and Raw led the charge to meet them as Cain jerked on the reigns to pull the horse to an ungraceful halt. He leaped from the horse with his hands still on Glitch’s waist and he motioned to Raw. “Help me get him down,” he panted anxiously. Cain vaguely heard DG’s sharp gasp at seeing Glitch’s condition, but he was focused intently on saving his friend’s life.

Pulling the unresponsive adviser to the ground, Cain sat them both on the cold soil and tugged impatiently at the blanket holding Glitch’s arm. He cringed at the still-wet blood soaking through the thick material as he pulled it back to expose the damaged shoulder and arm. “Raw,” he looked pleadingly at the viewer kneeling next to them, his question unspoken. 

Raw gasped in sympathy at the sight and feel of so much pain. He quickly placed his hands over the worst of it, the deep bite marks in Glitch’s shoulder. Cain held Glitch against his chest, turned so the uninjured right side was pressed against him. Bringing his left hand up he rested it gently on the side of Glitch’s head. 

Eyes closed tight, Cain bowed his head to rest his lips against the top of Glitch’s head. He ignored the cold bite of metal as he whispered prayers into the tangle of hair brushing his lips. 

Cain felt a sharp jolt as Glitch jerked alongside his body and Cain’s eyes flew open. Glitch drew a harsh, shallow breath and then another. The Tin Man released a shuddering sigh of his own at the welcome sound.

The viewer frowned deeply as he worked, sliding his hands over Glitch’s arm and back as the numerous cuts were healed. When he finally opened his eyes, they were dark with concern. “Too much poison,” he said regretfully. “Glitch need cure. Doctor can help.”

Looking down at the resting man, Wyatt nodded. 

Cain became aware that the group around them had grown oddly silent. He reluctantly raised his head to see why. DG had stepped back slightly and Raw suddenly produced a rumbling growl. 

It was then that Cain felt the unfamiliar hand resting on his shoulder in support and he glanced back to see Zero crouched beside him, oblivious to the stir he was causing. The former Longcoat was focused on Glitch with a pleased look on his face. “Hey, look at that!” he said softly, giving a squeeze to Cain’s shoulder. “We made it.”

Wyatt couldn’t help but return the relieved grin with one of his own and a near-hysterical bark of laughter escaped. He turned back to the very confused faces of his friends. “I can explain.”

He glanced over his shoulder again to see Zero’s raised eyebrows. “Okay, maybe not.”

 

**18\. Twilight**

It turned out DG’s robot parents were named Emily and Hank. Cain remembered meeting them once, briefly, before he knew who the Princess was.

Hours after the hectic rush to save Glitch, Emily had settled them into spare rooms in their own home. The local doctor had come and gone, leaving instructions on how often to wake Glitch and make him drink the herbal tea that would rid his body of the Papay’s poisonous venom. 

Outside the house, twilight fell and cast strange shadows across the small room Cain and Glitch had been given. Cain had used his razor to cut away the layers of torn and ruined shirts from Glitch, the material stiff with dried blood. He had smoothed a trembling hand over the newly healed pink skin, faint white lines the only sign of recent trauma. Those too would fade in time. 

He and Emily fussed over the thankfully alive but exhausted adviser, doing most of the work of getting him into the clean set of spare clothes from Glitch’s bag. Cain stood back while Emily, the nurture unit, carefully tucked blankets around Glitch before moving to stand next to the Tin Man.

“You did good getting him here as quick as you did,” she told him quietly. Looking at him sharply, she nodded her head toward the door. “Come on. He’s going to be sleeping for hours, and I think we all need an explanation about that man you brought into our town.”

With a deep sigh, he looked at the bundled figure on the bed one last time. “Let’s go make sure the others haven’t tied him to a chair yet.”

Just outside of the room Raw and DG waited for them, giving Glitch some illusion of privacy. Emily continued down the hallway toward the front room to give the three friends a moment. DG threw her arms around Cain’s neck and hugged him tight. “Oh, Cain,” she said into the folds of his jacket. “You two have _got_ to stop scaring me like this!”

He held the young woman for a moment before replying. “He was trying to save me,” he said roughly. “If Zero hadn’t shown up when he did, we never would have made it back.”

Raw’s warm hand came to rest on Cain’s shoulder. “Glitch safe now,” he assured Cain. 

Cain let go of the Princess and placed his hand over the top of Raw’s. “Yeah, he is,” he agreed with a smile. “Thanks to you.”

A proud smile graced Raw’s lips and he gave a deep sigh. “Zero,” he said meaningfully.

“Right,” Wyatt replied with a noisy exhalation. “Let’s go find out what his story is.”

In the main room sitting around the dining table were Zero, Hank, and Emily. Cain was strangely relieved to note that Zero was not in fact tied to a chair.

Sitting heavily in an empty chair close to the man in question, Cain started. “You’ve kept your word so far so I’ll keep mine. Talk.”

Zero shifted uncomfortably in his seat but held up to Cain’s intense gaze. “When your son and his fighters captured my men and I, do you remember noticing a tattoo on my arm? An outline of a mobat?”

Cain frowned, unsure where Zero was going with an odd start like this. He thought back to that endless night when he was reunited with his stranger of a son, the way the young man had tricked their prisoner into confessing. Zero’s leather coat had been removed and he was left in just a sleeveless black undershirt. 

When the Tin Man came to Zero in the middle of the night, he had a vague memory of seeing a dark stain on the Longcoat’s upper arm. It had seemed to glow in the faint moonlight.

“Yeah,” he nodded slowly and waited for Zero to continue.

“That was how the witch controlled us,” Zero told him frankly. “Her army, all the Longcoats – we were prisoners, as much as anyone else in the O.Z.”

 

**19\. Indecent**

Looking across the room, Zero locked eyes with Raw. “Can you show them?”

Raw glanced at Cain, who gave him a nod. The viewer moved to stand between Zero and the mirror resting on the mantle. He hesitated, remembering that the last time he tried to read Zero he got nothing but a dark, disturbing cloud. 

Placing one hand on Zero’s head and the other on the glass of the mirror, Raw searched for whatever it was the soldier had wanted them to see. Flashing past his mind were images of horses, trees, men and women in leather coats and others in handcuffs, pictures rushing by until he felt the pull of a specific memory. 

On the mirror a blurry-edged and discolored scene appeared for everyone to see. A dozen young soldiers were led from their barracks, still in their Queen’s royal forces uniforms. Chained together, they walked in a line between armed Longcoats. 

The angle changed and suddenly the clear view of a few of the hostages came into focus. One of the men looked up and to his left, and the group watching recognized him as a much younger Zero.

Just before the connection blurred and broke away they could see on the edge of the glass the unmistakable outline of the Sorceress Azkadellia with her trusted alchemist at her side.

Zero shuddered and opened his eyes as Raw let his hand drop from the glass. Raw’s other hand slid down to rest on Zero’s shoulder, keeping the connection alive but muted. 

“She took the officers first, those who showed the most loyalty to command,” Zero continued the story with his own voice. “Enlisted men were next, that’s when they came for us.

“Her alchemist branded us on site, some kind of magical compound in the ink that messed with our minds, drew us to her. It wasn’t mind control, not like the vapors. We simply saw her as the proper Queen.”

Cain narrowed his eyes as he absorbed the flood of information. “You acted on her behalf but had your own free will, then,” he said slowly, trying to understand what Zero was saying.

Zero blew out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair. “It’s – hard to describe. I knew what I was doing, could make decisions and choices. But it was always in Azkadellia’s best interest, everything came down to how we could _please_ her.”

Glaring at the man whose name he had cursed for years, Cain raised his chin stiffly. “You came to my home. You and your men destroyed my _family_ , beat my wife, my son, and locked me up,” he hissed. “Why? You had a choice. I was the only one you had a reason to hurt. Why did you go after my family?”

Jaw clenched tight, Zero shot a look of pure rage at him. “I _hated_ you, Cain. Azkadellia knew the Tin Men were too loyal to the former Queen to be turned. She let you go on with your lives, with your homes and families, until you finally made a mistake and we had an excuse to come for you.” He squeezed his eyes shut hard and seemed to deflate. “I had a family. A little girl. After I joined the Longcoats, I never saw her again.”

Across the table, Hank shook his head in disbelief. “It’s positively _indecent_ , what Azkadellia did to those men,” he said sorrowfully. Emily rested her chin on his shoulder, her hand coming up to stroke his other arm. She remembered being used in the same way, twisted and reprogrammed for the Witch’s desires.

Wyatt considered what he had heard so far. He remembered the glazed look of devastation on Azkadellia’s face after she was separated from the Witch and literally _everything_ she had done had struck the young woman. When the Witch died, so did her power over her prisoners. 

Jerking his head up to stare at Zero, he gaped for a moment in stunned realization. “How long where you in the suit?” he ground out.

Zero looked back at him and Cain knew he had hit the mark. The former Longcoat swallowed hard and turned his gaze to the floor. “Five months.”

Cain’s breath caught in his throat. 

“My men all felt it, that moment when we were freed from the Witch. It took them five months to find me,” he said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. He looked up at Cain, eyes burning with a look of betrayal. “You knew I was out there, you and your son were the only ones who knew.”

Feeling sick, Wyatt shot to his feet and turned away from the others. He remembered making a promise to his son, to come back for Zero if they survived. In all the chaos following the battle at the tower and the fallout of the change in rule, retrieving a prisoner had never been a priority. 

“We didn’t know,” Cain whispered roughly. “After the fight, all the Longcoats just disappeared; we assumed they went underground. There was too much to do. No one came forward; no one knew any of this, Zero. How could we?”

“Why haven’t they come forward?” DG asked.

“They’re afraid,” Zero answered. “If they make it public which side they’d been on, they’d be arrested or killed outright. They’d been searching for me from the moment they realized what had changed. I’m their General, it’s my job to speak for these men.”

Cain turned back around and met Raw’s eyes. The viewer gave him a single nod, hand still sitting on Zero’s shoulder. Everything Zero had said was true. 

It was too much. Wyatt pushed the heels of his hands into his eyes hard. “I’ve got to go check on Glitch.” He turned sharply and walked down the hall without waiting for a reply.

 

**20\. Layers**

Cain leaned back against the headboard wearily. His coat was draped across the chair next to the door, where he had carelessly flung it earlier when he was getting Glitch settled. Boots were lying on the floor where he’d toed them off before climbing onto the bed next to the sleeping man. The only light he turned on was the small lamp on the bedside table.

He rested his hand on Glitch’s shoulder, the one that had been so horribly torn apart mere hours ago. Through the layers of shirts and blankets he could feel the warmth of fever seeping into his palm. 

A sigh escaped as he moved his restless hand up to absently toy with Glitch’s hair, careful not to wake him. 

It was impossible to clear his mind of everything Zero had told them. There was so much to consider and Wyatt had very little idea where they were supposed to go from there. He knew what Zero had been asking him; the former Longcoat had a responsibility to his men. Zero needed an audience with the Queen, to ask her to pardon the innocent men.

The person Zero needed to ask for that audience was currently sleeping next to Cain’s leg.

Glitch shifted in his sleep and Cain’s hand was dragged freely across the back of the adviser’s head. A tiny metallic click drew his attention and he saw that his fingers had grazed the end of the zipper, flipping the loose end up. He gently moved the tag down to its previous spot and went back to stroking the knotted tufts of dark hair.

Cain was thankful that Zero hadn’t tried to apologize for any of his actions. The cop suspected that Zero knew he could never be forgiven. There was one more question on Cain’s mind, one that deserved an answer but it would keep for now.

This moment was reserved for being with Glitch.

 

**21\. Daydream**

Wyatt was roused from his mindless petting a while later by a soft knock on the door. Emily poked her head in, holding a cup on a saucer. “Don’t mean to interrupt,” she smiled. “It’s time for his medicine.”

“Of course, please come in,” Cain sat up and dragged a tired hand over his face. “Just keeping him company,” he said wryly. 

Giving Glitch a careful shake, Cain leaned down close to his ear. “Time to wake up, Sweetheart.”

Glitch moaned pathetically and tried to burrow under the pillow.

Laughing softly, Cain slipped his arm under Glitch’s head and maneuvered him into a sitting position, supported against Cain’s chest. Glitch cracked his eyes open to glare balefully up at the man who disturbed his slumber and elbowed Cain in the stomach. By accident, of course.

Emily sat on the bed in front of them, grinning at their antics. She handed Wyatt the teacup, then pressed the back of her hand to Glitch’s forehead. “He feels a bit cooler,” she said casually. “At this rate he’ll be well enough to head home with you all tomorrow.”

“He’ll be riding with me either way,” Cain said firmly, holding the cup while Glitch took a tired sip. 

Glitch hummed quietly and rested his head against Cain’s collarbone. He reached up and tried to take the cup in his own shaking hand but Cain held firm. Grumbling, Glitch took a deep swallow of tea. 

Blinking thoughtfully, Glitch asked, “Did I have some crazy, heroics-induced daydream or did _Zero_ save our butts?”

 

**22\. Morning**

Cain smiled at the question. “No dream.”

“Huh,” Glitch replied, followed by a yawn. “You’ll have to tell me what happened, I can’t really remember.” He rested heavily against Cain and settled down comfortably with half-closed eyes.

“Maybe tomorrow. Finish your tea before you fall asleep,” Cain held it up and let Glitch drink the last bit of liquid. Setting the empty cup on the side table, he leaned his back on the headboard and sighed. 

He met Emily’s eyes over the top of Glitch’s head but spoke to the man lying on him. “You’re still warm,” he said quietly, touching his hand to Glitch’s cheek. 

Glitch nodded and turned his head sideways to rest on Cain’s chest, closing his eyes. “So are you,” he mumbled. His breathing slowly evened out as he slipped back into sleep.

Emily smiled when she saw Cain reach up and stroke the side of Glitch’s neck tenderly. “You care a lot about him,” she observed softly.

Looking up, Cain saw something in this woman that drew the words out of him. “I love him,” he admitted shyly.

“Does he know?”

“I’m not sure. I think so,” Cain answered uncertainly. “He knows I have feelings for him, and he seems to feel something too. It’s just so new for both of us.” He swallowed hard. “He almost died today. It terrifies me to think he could have died and I never got the chance to tell him how special he is.”

Placing a hand lightly on Glitch’s blanket covered leg, Emily smiled softly at the sleeping adviser. “He certainly is a very special man,” she said wistfully. “Mr. Ambrose was the kindest, bravest, and most gentle soul I’d ever met.”

Cain gave her a curious look. As far as he knew, Glitch had never truly met or spoken to Emily or Hank before today; their last visit had been very short and they had stayed outside watching for Longcoats while DG spoke to her pseudo-parents. At that point, they hadn’t even learned Glitch’s real name yet.

Catching Cain’s expression, Emily realized that Glitch had most likely forgotten the events of fifteen annuals past. “Ambrose was with the Queen when she brought DG to us for safekeeping,” she recalled. “In fact, he wrote our programming. He was so scared of what was coming, but would do anything to protect that little girl.”

“Still would,” Cain assured her when she paused.

Emily beamed at him. “Before he and her mother left, Ambrose knelt down in front of DG and gave her the most loving embrace. He told her he was proud of her for being so brave.”

“Sounds like Glitch,” Wyatt smiled proudly. He carded his hand lightly over Glitch’s hair. 

“He’s a good man, Wyatt,” she said confidently. “He deserves someone like you, who can love every part of him without question.”

Cain squeezed his eyes shut. His hand moved to stroke down Glitch’s arm, taking the limp, pale hand in his own. “Glitch is the strongest man I’ve ever known, but sometimes I feel like he could shatter with just one wrong word,” he confessed. “How can I trust myself with his heart, knowing how easily I could break it?”

“Maybe when he’s well enough, that’s something you need to talk about,” she advised him. “You might be surprised, perhaps he feels the same is true of you.” 

With that, Emily stood and smiled warmly at the pair. “You want some help getting him back in bed?”

“I think he’s good where he is,” Cain told her without pause. He tugged at the blanket bunched up in Glitch’s lap and tucked it around the lax body the best he could before settling in for a long night.

Emily retrieved a folded spare blanket from the foot of the bed, shook it out and spread it over Wyatt. “See you in the morning, then,” she said softly as she left them to rest.

 

**23\. Blankets**

Cain had only gone to the front room for a few moments. He gave a groggy ‘good morning’ to the others gathered for breakfast and with help from Emily was fetching a small, light meal for Glitch and himself when he heard a soft shuffling sound and a hesitant, “Hello?” from behind him.

Looking up quickly, he spotted Glitch standing in the hallway, wrapped in two blankets and leaning against the wall. 

Before he could stop her, Emily had started toward the adviser. “Oh, honey, you shouldn’t be on your feet,” she chided him gently, reaching out.

Glitch faltered, taking a stumbling step back in surprise. “Do I know you?”

Emily pulled her hand back and covered her mouth. She turned to Cain, who had caught up with her and gave him a concerned look.

“It’s okay,” Cain assured her. He slid past her and approached Glitch. “Good morning, Sweetheart,” he said with a knowing grin and was pleased to see the moment of recognition cross Glitch’s face.

“Cain,” the adviser smiled and tilted his head to the side, tugging his cocoon of blankets tighter around him.

“How did you do that?” Emily eyed the Tin Man admiringly.

Cain shrugged and glanced at her over his shoulder while he moved in to help Glitch back to bed. “Don’t know, just know it works.” He turned Glitch around and led him on the short walk to the bedroom. “Come on. I’ll bring you breakfast in bed,” he promised with a light squeeze.

When he returned to the kitchen he saw that Emily had already prepared Glitch’s medicinal tea. “Thank you,” he said with grateful smile. “Most of the time when he wakes up he’s forgotten where he is. It takes some kind of trigger to reset his brain.”

“And you’re that trigger,” Emily teased him gently.

“Not necessarily. He functioned all right without me for the last fifteen annuals,” he reasoned.

After a moment of silence, Emily asked very quietly, “Will it be like that for the rest of his life?”

Cain glanced at her for a split second. “Yes,” he answered simply before picking up the teacup and plate of food to bring to his friend.

 

**24\. Underground**

Carrying Glitch’s bag as well as his own, lighter now without the blanket he’d sacrificed for a greater good, Cain walked outside to secure the parcels to the horse they would be sharing for the ride home. It would take most of the day to get back to the palace in Central and he was anxious to get on the road home.

He hesitated for a moment when he saw Zero already with the horses, the soldier tying his own pack down securely. They made eye contact briefly then went on with their tasks.

The Tin Man broke the silence with the question that had kept him awake most of the night. “Did you kill Adora?”

Zero paled at the direct inquiry but his answer was firm. “No.”

Cain clenched his jaw. “Then what happened to my family?”

“I don’t know all the details,” Zero snarled at him, jerking roughly on the rope he was knotting. “After we locked you up, we took them to Central, stuck them in a hostel with the rest of the women and children of resistance fighters we’d caught. They tend to disappear after that, it’s not our job to keep track of ‘em.

“Probably headed underground, got involved with the resistance themselves from there. Next time I found them was in a cabin. Locked up your boy but the woman was already dead. Found the grave marker with her name carved in it.”

Wyatt was disappointed and unsettled by the lack of answers, but knew that was all he would get out of Zero. His eyes stung at the thought of his wife dying without him there to protect her, or ease her pain. 

And he marveled at his own willingness to do it all again, to start a life with someone new, a man he was drawn to unerringly. 

The two men finished their preparations in uneasy silence.

 

**25.Tender**

When the arrangements were made and everyone was ready to go Cain made his way back to the now familiar bedroom to collect Glitch.

Already dressed, the adviser was sitting on the edge of the bed fussing with the buttons on his shirt. His jacket had been a complete loss, torn to shreds and soaked with his blood. Luckily the weather was pleasantly warm for their trip.

“Hey,” Cain greeted him with a warm smile. “Raw’s got the horses waiting, DG is being all girlish and emotional with her parents and Zero is moping on the porch. Guess that means its time to leave.”

Glitch threw his head back and laughed, enjoying Cain’s playful mood. 

Warmed immensely by the bright, welcome sound Cain wandered over and sat on the bed facing Glitch. He ran a critical eye over the man who had literally died in his arms less than a day before. Cain couldn’t have been more delighted by Glitch’s improvement. Though he was still weak from the massive loss of blood and tired easily, Glitch looked like he was just as ready to go home as the rest of them.

“You look so much better,” Cain told him happily, reaching up to curl a hand against the side of Glitch’s neck. His thumb stroked behind Glitch’s ear absently. 

Glitch leaned into the touch and hummed contentedly, a dreamy grin parting his lips. “Does that mean you’ll let me drive?”

“Not a chance, zipperhead,” Cain teased him affectionately. “I’d like for us to get back to Central this week.” He bowed to touch his forehead against Glitch’s. “You can take it easy today and just enjoy the ride.”

“Oh, believe me, I will,” Glitch grinned mischievously.

Cain felt the unexpected hot prick of tears and he shut his eyes tight. He heaved a shaky sigh and surged forward blindly, impulsively, to press his lips against the other man’s smiling mouth. 

Glitch inhaled sharply at the sudden, unexpected motion. It was awkward and clumsy and the most tender, loving kiss he could imagine. He pushed past his stunned amazement and returned the kiss enthusiastically, bringing his hand up to clutch at Cain’s neck.

Pulling back to catch his breath, Cain swallowed thickly. He opened his eyes, unsure of what he would see. 

Glitch’s brilliant smile and shining eyes told him everything he needed. The promise in that intense gaze made Cain shiver. The adviser slowly draped his arms around Cain’s neck, resting his chin on the Tin Man’s shoulder. Cain folded Glitch in his own tight embrace and held on, afraid he might fall apart without this support. They stayed that way, breathing together, for a long moment.

Reluctantly, Cain forced himself to relax his grip and he sighed heavily. He knew the others were waiting and if he and Glitch didn’t show up soon, they might send someone in after them. 

“Come on,” Cain stood on unsteady legs, holding his hand out to Glitch. “Let’s go home.”

 

**26\. Forest**

The early afternoon sun shone through the dense branches of the trees surrounding the riders. They rode together closely, but very little was said. It had been an incredibly long few days and emotions had run high, leaving them all weary and more than ready to get back to the palace.

Cain was vigilant, splitting his attention between the forest around them and the precious cargo perched on the saddle in front of him. 

When they had finally joined the others to take their leave of Hank and Emily’s home, they were both given firm hugs from their hostess. Cain wasn’t able to hear what she whispered in Glitch’s ear that made him blush and grin shyly, but he suspected it was somehow related to her own words to Cain, along the lines of ‘take care of him or answer to me.’

At the start of the ride, Glitch had been his usual animated self, frequently bumping his expressive limbs into Cain as he talked to whoever was nearby. 

By now, Cain could feel the strain of the long journey taking its toll on Glitch. The adviser was sagging against him, hugging his arms to his chest. Cain kept one arm securely wrapped around him, which is how he noticed how heavily Glitch was breathing. 

“How’re you feeling?” Cain asked quietly, resting his chin on Glitch’s shoulder.

“Tired,” Glitch mumbled almost inaudibly. “The shadows and bumps are making me dizzy.”

“Okay, hold on a second,” Wyatt told him, slowing their horse gradually. He lifted his head and raised his voice so the others could hear him. “Let’s take a break for a few minutes,” he announced casually, not wanting the others to think something was wrong and get them upset. Glitch didn’t need the extra attention; he was self-conscious enough as it was.

Cain climbed down along with the others, then reached up to help guide Glitch down to the ground. He’d pulled their horse to a stop near a patch of fallen trees, the logs making a good resting place. 

While the others secured their steeds to low branches and headed in different directions through the trees to take care of things of a private nature, Cain led Glitch to a log to rest. They sat together, Glitch hunched over with his arms crossed and tucked in around his stomach. 

Wyatt smoothed his hand in slow circles over the adviser’s back, sensing the faint trembling through his touch. “You feel sick?” he asked softly, leaning forward to study Glitch’s face.

Glitch shook his head minutely, eyes still closed. “No, just needed to stop moving for a bit,” he answered. He puffed out a breath and sat up, bracing his hands on his knees. Looking at Cain, he nodded once. “I’m fine,” he assured him with a tiny smile. “I need to, uh, you know,” Glitch waved his hand absently toward the trees.

“Can you make it by yourself?” Cain asked when Glitch stood to go take care of his needs.

“I’ll make sure to yell if I need another hand,” Glitch winked at him and carefully made his way to a more private place. Cain watched for a moment then headed off himself.

When Glitch returned he saw Raw and DG sitting together talking quietly while Zero hovered a short distance away. He sat at DG’s other side and grinned when she gave him a lopsided one-armed hug. 

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she said, letting him go but leaving her hand resting on his back comfortably. “You were sleeping every time I looked in to check on you, so I didn’t get a chance to tell you that yet.”

Glitch ducked his head and smiled thankfully. Glancing over at the odd member of their party, he asked, “So, he must have one heck of a story for him to still be alive and with us.”

DG sighed deeply and nodded her head vaguely. “It’s a really complicated story, that’s for sure. We’ll have to fill you in on the details later, when we’re back and can meet with Mother. The short version is: Az marked the Longcoats to make them do her bidding, they were members of the army that got taken prisoner.” She shook her head sadly. “They’re all innocent, Glitch. We need to make this right, let them come out of hiding and get back to their lives as best they can.”

Looking at the ground with a distant gaze, Glitch released a breathy “Oh...” He tilted his head, an odd flash of memory sparking in his brain. “I remember that, at least I think I do,” he said in an odd, detached voice. “Before they took my marbles, I was kept in the tower where the alchemists were working. They were experimenting with magical amalgams. Your mother fixed it so magic couldn’t make me betray any of our plans. That’s when they went with plan B,” he raised a hand to indicate his zipper.

While he was talking, Cain had silently rejoined them. He stood behind Glitch, resting his hands on the seated man’s shoulders. “Zero has something to ask you, Glitch.”

“Me?” Glitch squeaked, glancing at the former Longcoat warily.

Cain raised his voice. “Zero,” he called the man over. 

Zero flinched, startled at the sound of his name. He saw that the foursome was complete, looking at him expectantly. Realizing that Cain was giving him his chance, he walked over and deferentially knelt in front of Glitch.

Stunned, Glitch looked down at the man. “Zero?” he asked hesitantly. “Was there something you needed from me?”

“Adviser Glitch,” Zero said formally, head dutifully down. “I respectfully ask for your permission to hold an audience with her Majesty and her advisers. I represent hundreds of innocent men and request the opportunity to argue on their behalf for an official pardon.”

 

**27\. Time**

Glitch listened, mouth slightly open in astonishment at the carefully worded appeal. He realized after a long moment of silence that Zero had stopped talking and it was now his turn to respond. 

He lifted a shaking hand, he reached forward to touch the tips of his fingers to Zero’s downward tilted jaw. 

Zero blinked, confused, then raised his head to meet Glitch’s eye.

“You’ll have your audience with the Queen,” Glitch told him kindly. “All the time you need.”

**

The first sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon when the travelers approached the front entrance to the royal palace. 

“Oh, thank the gods we’re home,” Glitch moaned and straightened his back. He’d fallen asleep against the sturdy warmth of Cain sometime after they got back on the trail and had been jostled awake by the rising sounds of the city as they approached.

At the end of the path stable attendants ready to take their horses met them. The woman in charge of the task gave Cain an odd look and asked, “Where’s the one you were riding?”

“Papay runners ate him,” he answered bluntly. 

She gaped at him, horrified. “Oh, dear,” she muttered, shaking her head as she joined the other attendants and the remaining horses.

Cain kept close to Glitch as the group of five climbed the steps to meet the waiting Queen and Ahamo. DG charged up the stairs ahead of them to give her parents huge hugs.

“DG, my angel, it’s so good to have you home,” her mother crowed happily, then pulled back when she saw that DG had apparently added to her collection of odd men. “What is that man doing here and why is he not shackled?” she asked coldly.

“Mother, it’s all right,” DG raised her hands to calm the powerful woman. “We’ve got a lot to talk about, but first I think we should let Mr. Cain take Glitch to his room to rest.”

The Queen’s face instantly went from cold malice to concerned puzzlement. “Are you not well, Mr. Glitch?” she asked him, stepping forward to run an appraising eye over her most trusted friend.

“Majesty,” Glitch bowed his head automatically. “I’m well enough now, but had a bit of an accident yesterday,” he glanced at Cain with a restrained grimace.

“He was attacked by a Papay runner while trying to save me, your Majesty,” Cain informed her. “It was Zero here who rescued us. Raw was thankfully able to heal Glitch and we were lucky to have the aid of a doctor in Milltown.” He stopped, letting her absorb his words.

“Oh, my poor dear,” the monarch fussed, reaching out to gently stroke Glitch’s cheek. “Of course, you must rest. Mr. Cain, please, escort him to his chambers.”

“Highness,” they said together. Exchanging childish grins, they made their way inside, leaving DG and Raw to find a place to put Zero until the official meetings could be arranged. 

 

**28\. Naked**

After Cain saw Glitch to his room, he went back down to the kitchen to find some food to bring back. He could tell Glitch wasn’t up to a formal sit-down dinner with the rest of the regular crowd. 

With the help of a very understanding cook, Cain was able to wrangle together a few sandwiches, assorted green vegetables and what promised to be a juicy apple. Along with a small pot of hot water (for the tea they’d brought back from Milltown), an empty teacup, and a cup of coffee for himself, he made his way back to Glitch’s room.

The door was not completely latched so he pushed it open without knocking. He looked around and froze, the air stuck in his throat. 

Glitch was standing next to the bed, silhouetted by the fading light of early evening coming in through the balcony doors. His back was to Cain, but the cop could see every movement as clearly as if he were standing within reach.

Naked from the waist up, the adviser was slowly moving his right hand over his left arm, delicate fingers tracing the fine white scars sprawling over the pale skin. The restless hand moved up and Glitch’s head turned to inspect his shoulder, touching the blemishes marring his otherwise smooth skin.

Cain cleared his throat and feeling like a voyeur, kicked the door closed behind him and continued into the room. 

Glitch twisted around to look at him, blushing at being caught. He quickly forgot his embarrassment and turned back to his scrutiny. “I can’t see all of them,” he said in a sad, faraway voice. 

Setting the tray in his hands down on the bedside table, Wyatt moved to stand behind Glitch, just off his left shoulder. He lifted his own hand to trace the faint marks that were liberally scattered across the expanse of bare back. “They’ll fade eventually,” Cain said, not sure if it was meant to be reassuring. “Raw does good work.”

“Mmhmm,” Glitch agreed absently, still following the lines on his upper arm with his fingers like they were roads on a map. Perhaps in his mind, they were.

Cain caught the wandering hands within his own and slid his arms around the man’s wiry frame, tangling their arms together across Glitch’s chest. “They don’t make you any less beautiful,” he promised. 

 

**29\. Remember**

Wyatt found a clean, loose nightshirt for Glitch while the adviser was sitting under the covers in bed, munching on his dinner. He wandered over to sit in front of Glitch.

Stuffing a piece of celery halfway into his mouth, Glitch raised his arms obediently for Cain to pull it over his head. Wyatt rolled his eyes but gave in easily to the goodnatured teasing. “Don’t expect me to fuss over you once you get your strength back,” he grumbled. 

“Oh, you know you love it,” Glitch waved a hand absentmindedly and finished his tea.

Cain ensnared the wayward hand and brought it into his lap. He waited until Glitch looked up to speak earnestly. “I love _you_.”

Jaw dropping open in disbelief, Glitch stared at him for an infinite moment. “Oh, Wyatt,” he whispered, tipping his head to the side. “Come here.” He scooted forward with the blankets bunched on his lap and reached for Cain.

“I love you too, so much,” Glitch confessed, folding his arms across the back of Cain’s shoulders. His cheek rubbed against the short-cropped hair and he closed his eyes at the soft feel of it. “And when I can remember what to do with all of your fun bits, you’ll be the first to know.”

Wyatt nearly fell off the bed, howling with appalled laughter. 

When he recovered enough to speak he wiped his eyes and stood up. “What am I going to do with you, Sweetheart?”

“Sleep with me?” Glitch asked, offering a welcoming hand.

“I wasn’t planning to leave,” Cain smiled fondly and set about preparing for bed.

**

A strange, unfamiliar sound dragged Cain out of his sleep. Blinking up at the ceiling sleepily, he listened to see if it came again.

He heard it, an unmistakable sound that chilled him. Next to him Glitch shuddered violently, one arm wrapped around his head with long fingers tugging at the tab of his zipper, slowly unfastening it in his sleep.

Breaking out of his stupor, he reached up and stopped the movement of the hand. He leaned down and spoke sharply into Glitch’s ear. “Glitch, wake up.”

With a sharp gasp, Glitch jerked back against him and looked around with wild eyes. “Who are you?” he asked brusquely while pushing himself up against the headboard.

Cain held up his hands in a submissive posture. “Glitch, it’s me. You’re home, in your own bed.”

Glitch blinked as his memory returned and he relaxed instantly. His hand automatically reached up to his head and with a fierce blush, he pulled the zipper closed again. “I’m so sorry,” he buried his face in his hands, words muffled.

“No, it’s okay, you didn’t do anything wrong,” Cain rushed to ease Glitch’s obvious humiliation while still trying to process what it was he had witnessed. He reached a tentative hand out to touch Glitch’s shoulder, unsure if it was welcome.

The shoulder under his hand shrugged but not in an effort to push him away. Glitch stared down at the mussed blankets, hands plucking restlessly at them. “I wake up sometimes and it – for some reason, it’s open. That’s why I always check.”

Wyatt swallowed thickly, examining the words. “Do you remember dreaming about something that would make you do that?”

Glitch sniffed and looked away. “I don’t remember,” he mumbled with a shake of his head. He shifted down and pulled the blankets back over his shoulder, facing away from Cain. “I don’t remember.”

Cain knew it wasn’t a lie but he also knew that somewhere in Glitch’s mind, or in his past, was the repressed answer to his question. 

 

**30\. Beginnings**

Glitch was the first to wake when the morning light came streaking across their bed. 

Turning over, he leaned his head against his fist and looked at the man next to him. He remembered: this was Wyatt Cain. This beautiful man loved him. 

He watched as Cain woke up reluctantly, the Tin Man lifting an arm to rub the back of his wrist against his eye. Cain turned his head and saw he was being studied.

“What are you grinning at?” Wyatt squinted at him.

“You’re Wyatt Cain,” Glitch announced proudly, poking him in the nose.

“This is new?” Cain asked him, confused.

With a smug grin, Glitch scratched at his tangled hair. “I remembered you when I woke up,” he explained. 

Eyes wide, Wyatt rolled to face the grinning man as he caught up with what the adviser was implying. He practically pounced, giving Glitch an elated kiss. Drawing back with a grin of his own Cain said, “Well, that will certainly save us some time in the future.”

**

End.


End file.
